


A Kind of Idiot

by KobutoriRisu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Iruka is only a little better, Kakashi is also a troll, Kakashi is an idiot, M/M, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-15 16:29:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1311538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KobutoriRisu/pseuds/KobutoriRisu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Iruka can't remember anything and Kakashi gets the job of looking after him until he does. Why did Tsunade choose Kakashi? What happened to Iruka in the first place? Why shouldn't men in green bodysuits spoon? The answers lie within.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Accidents and Chalk Allergies

**Author's Note:**

> This is a reposting of a story that I have up at fanfiction.net. I tend to post at Fanfiction, but I read at AO3. That hardly makes sense now, does it? So I'm reposting my stories here.

 

He opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. He winced at the brightness of the day and the blue sky overhead. Closing his eyes tightly again, he lay still and slowly the ringing settled and he could make out voices.

"You idiot! Are you trying to kill him?"

"Shut it, you ass, of course I'm not!"

He carefully opened his eyes again, squinting, so as not to let too much light in at once.

"Oh! Look! He's coming too, his eyes moved."

As his eyes adjusted to the light, he opened them a fraction wider. Two worried faces were bending over him – a blonde haired boy, and a brown haired boy with red tribal tattoos on his face.

"Iruka-sensei, are you okay?" The blonde boy said.

_Iruka-sensei?_

"Iruka-sensei?" The boy was looking directly into his eyes, and he looked a little more worried with each passing second.

_Iruka-sensei… is that me?_

"I…" he tried to speak, but his voice came out croaky. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I don't know. What happened?"

The brown haired boy replied, "You got caught in the blast of this idiot's Rasengan. You've been unconscious for a few minutes."

"I'm sorry Iruka-sensei! I didn't see you!" Blonde boy said miserably, his blue eyes large in his face.

"I'm sure you didn't," Iruka answered. "Don't worry, I'll be okay. Help me up."

The two boys took a hand each and pulled him to his feet, however, once on his feet the world suddenly swam, the ringing in his ears returned, and Iruka collapsed back on the ground. Dimly he heard a pair of worried voices shouting, "Iruka-sensei!"

He lay on his back with his eyes shut while the spinning and ringing settled. After a while he carefully opened them again, and looked into the eyes of the blonde boy.

"Kiba went to get help."

__Kiba._ _

"Okay. Good plan. Ngh," he replied, and passed out.

 

There was an annoying buzzing that penetrated his unconsciousness. As he slowly came to he identified it as voices. A lower rumble had joined the two voices he was already familiar with. He opened his eyes carefully again. Now there were three faces looking down at him. A man with most of his face obscured by cloth, and pale silvery hair had joined the two boys.

_What a nice colour. What's with the mask?_

The man spoke, "Let's get you to the hospital, sensei"

"Mmm." He closed his eyes.

"Not good," the man said, and Iruka felt himself being lifted by strong arms. The movement made his head swim, and he blacked out again.

When he next opened his eyes, he was in a sterile white environment that could only be a hospital. Iruka looked around to see Kiba, the blonde boy, the silvery haired man and a blonde woman.

"Is he going to be okay Tsunade-baachan?" Blonde boy asked fretfully.

"Naruto! I need a chance to examine him!"

_Tsunade, Naruto._

"Oh, you're awake Iruka," Tsunade said, moving to his side. She peered into his eyes and shone a light into them. He didn't enjoy that very much. Lights hurt. He winced and tried to turn his head. "Hold still, Iruka, I think you have a concussion." He held still and she was mercifully brief with the light-shining. She held her hands out over him and examined his chakra. She straightened up, and addressed the spectators, "Well, despite your best efforts, I think he's going to live."

"Yay!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. Iruka winced.

"Naruto, keep it down," Tsunade snapped, although her face softened immediately afterward. "A bit of rest and he'll be fine."

"Um," Iruka spoke up softly, "I don't mean to be a bother, but I'm not sure that that's entirely true."

Tsunade turned to him and frowned. "What do you mean, Iruka?"

Iruka paused and looked around at the four faces. "Um, well, actually… I have no idea who any of you are." Four pairs of eyes widened. "In fact, I don't remember who I am." He looked rueful. "Sorry."

Shooing the other three out, Tsunade set about a more thorough examination of Iruka, which involved far too much light and noise for Iruka's taste. She told him, in no uncertain terms, that he was staying the night in the hospital, under observation. Iruka just wanted to go back to sleep, so it didn't matter to him where he was. He got woken up occasionally for checks, and at points some unpleasantly soft-textured food was spooned into his mouth.

 

The following day Tsunade and his erstwhile visitors reappeared in his room. Tsunade once again checked Iruka over, made him answer some questions, and move around a bit. She seemed to think that he was over the worst of it, although he still didn't remember much of anything. Naruto was dancing around the room like he badly needed to go to the toilet, Kiba was trying to get Naruto to stand still and the man was perched on the windowsill ignoring them both.

"Since all your symptoms have settled, other than the memory, there's no need for you to stay under observation in the hospital anymore, Iruka. You should go home; hopefully it will help with your memory. However," and she turned to regard the three watching faces, "to be on the safe side, I don't want you to be alone."

"Letting himself get flattened by Naruto, I'm not sure he's qualified to look after himself at the best of times," the silvery haired man said.

"I'm not an idiot! I can take care of myself!" Iruka snapped at him.

_What..?_

"Oh god, I am so sorry!" Iruka felt his face warm. "I have no idea why I just said that. Of course it's best if I'm not alone. I don't even know where I live!"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she regarded Iruka. He felt the flush rising in his cheeks.

"I can stay with him Tsunade-baachan!" Naruto exclaimed.

Tsunade looked at Naruto briefly then turned to the man lurking in the window. "Kakashi, I think it's best if you look after Iruka," she said levelly.

_Kakashi._

Kakashi started, "Me?"

"You," Tsunade replied evenly.

"I don't know where he lives either."

"Liar."

"My cat needs feeding…"

"You don't have a cat."

"Mr Ukki needs watering…."

"Naruto, go water Kakashi's plant."

"I'm allergic to chalk."

"Kakashi…"

"…. fine." Kakashi heaved a most put-upon sigh.

Iruka, having been watching the two argue with a startled expression on his face turned his head away and frowned in irritation.

_He hates me?_

"But Tsunade-baachan...," Naruto began to whine.

"Naruto," Tsunade replied, "Iruka needs an adult to keep an eye on him in case there are any problems. And to make sure he eats more than instant ramen." Naruto folded his arms and glared at her. Tsunade folded her arms under her ample bosom and glared back.

"I'll take good care of Iruka-sensei, Naruto," Kakashi said, breaking the tension. Iruka glanced at him. The silvery haired man had a cheery smile on his face. Well, he thought so anyway, since all he could see of his face was one eye, but the eye was smiling at least.

Naruto heaved __his_ _ most put-upon sigh, "… fine."

"You're not to leave him alone, Kakashi. You're to stay with him until I tell you otherwise," Tsunade said sternly.

Iruka looked at her worriedly, "If I'm that bad, shouldn't I stay in the hospital?"

"No, no," she replied, turning back to face Iruka and waving her hands dismissively, "You might get a bit dizzy or groggy, or you could get a headache, but really all there is for you to do is take it easy and rest when you need to. If someone is taking care of you it'll be fine. I think you'd be better off in your own environment. Spark some memories." She paused. "But don't let Kakashi give you any trouble."

Kakashi shrugged innocently.

 


	2. Violence and Zen Kitchen Skills

Iruka looked tentatively at the keys in his hand.

"It's your own place," Kakashi chuckled, "Nothing bad is going to happen to you."

Iruka turned to him and snapped, "I know that!"

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry." He smiled at Kakashi and Kakashi's eyebrow raised just a tiny bit.

"I know that," he continued in a normal tone of voice, "it's just a bit... overwhelming. What if it all comes rushing back once I go in? What if it doesn't?"

"Well, based on what Tsunade-sama said, it probably won't come rushing back all at once, but hopefully things will come back to you over time."

Iruka nodded and used the keys to open the door.

 

 

His place was neat and clean, he was relieved to discover. A part of him had been a bit afraid he'd open the door to find a mess, and would be embarrassed to let the other man see that. The furnishings were simple but of good quality. There were a few photos in frames around, and some pictures that looked like they had been made by children. A stack of papers sat on a low table accompanied by a blue and red marker, and an empty tea cup.

He walked slowly around the living area, touching the surfaces. He stood in front of the book case and ran his fingers over the spines of the books. The spine of one book was particularly damaged, indicating repeated reading. He pulled it out; it was a well-loved novel. He opened it up and there was writing inside. 'Happy birthday Iruka, love Mama and Papa.' He looked up at Kakashi who had been silently standing near the door.

"My parents have died, haven't they," he said quietly.

"Yes, protecting the village from a demon," Kakashi replied soberly.

"Mm," Iruka replied, looking back at the book. He assumed, based on the well-loved appearance, that it was the last thing he ever received from them. Iruka looked around at the photos, spotting one that looked like a family photo and moved over to it. Sure enough there was a grinning little boy with a scar on his nose and two smiling parents. Rubbing the selfsame scar, Iruka picked up the photo then ran his fingers over the surface.

"We lost a lot of people that day," Kakashi said from beside him. Iruka looked at him. Kakashi's visible eye looked sad and a little clouded.

"You lost people too?"

Kakashi nodded. "I don't think there's a person in the village that didn't. Well, I know there isn't a person in the village that didn't. The Fourth Hokage died that day. He died and saved us all."

Iruka nodded thoughtfully and put the photo back. He looked at one next to it, and was surprised to see Kakashi, Naruto, a dark haired boy and a girl. He glanced at Kakashi who looked amused.

"Team seven."

A quick glance around the other photos in the room didn't show any other teams. "Why do I have a photo of you guys?"

"You have a crush on me," Kakashi replied somberly.

Iruka looked up at him, startled. "I… what?"

"Only kidding! You have a soft spot for Naruto." Kakashi was grinning under his mask. Iruka hit him in the arm.

"Ow! Violence!"

Iruka looked at the the other man levelly and then laughed. Kakashi's eyebrow raised just a tiny bit again. "You're an idiot," Iruka grinned.

"Yes, but a very crush-worthy idiot."

"How would anybody know?" Iruka poked at the masked nose.

"They have to take my word on it."

"Sounds reasonable."

"I know, right?"

 

 

Iruka chuckled and made his way into the kitchen. "I have a hankering for tea. Want some?"

"Sure."

Iruka stood in the kitchen, hands on his hips and looked around. Then his shoulders slumped, "I have no idea where I keep anything!"

Kakashi walked into the kitchen behind him. "Hmm, well, let me work my zen kitchen skills!"

"Your what?"

"Zen kitchen skills. It's one of my most incredible abilities. I can find things in other people's kitchens."

"Oh really? Come in useful often?"

"Not really. But one day I'm convinced it will help me rise to power, and people will tremble before my ability to find tea cups and cake tins." He stood in the middle of the room and looked around briefly. He walked over to a cupboard in the corner, near the window and opened it. Sure enough there was a tea set matching the cup on the table in the living area. He pulled it out triumphantly. Iruka laughed.

"Now, tea." He regarded the room again, and opened the cupboard next to the one he had already opened - and pulled out a container of tea.

"Amazing, Kakashi-sama!" Iruka gushed in a girly voice, kicking one foot up behind him and clutching his hands over his heart. Kakashi bowed. Iruka laughed again then looked at him suspiciously. "Did you already know where those things were?"

Kakashi held his hands up in front of him. "I promise, zen kitchen skills! I've never been in your place before!"

"You haven't?"

"No."

Iruka looked at Kakashi thoughtfully and set about making tea.

 

 

The tea made, he took two cups into the living area, and took the used cup back in to the kitchen. He returned to the living area and settled himself down along one side of the table. Kakashi folded himself down opposite. Sipping his tea, Iruka flipped through the papers on the table. "I'm a teacher?" He looked up at Kakashi.

"Yes."

"Which is how I know those kids."

Kakashi nodded.

Iruka shifted uncomfortably, "And why you claimed to be allergic to chalk."

Kakashi looked like he was about to say something, when there was a knock at the door. Iruka crossed the room, and Kakashi took a drink of his tea. Iruka opened the door to find Naruto on the doorstep. "Naruto!"

"Hi, Iruka-sensei." Naruto looked up at him. "I wanted to make sure you were okay. And that Kakashi-sensei wasn't causing you trouble." Naruto leaned around Iruka and glared at Kakashi. Kakashi ignored him.

"Come in, Naruto. We were just having some tea," Iruka said.

Naruto walked in to the apartment and plonked himself down at the table opposite Kakashi. He glared at Kakashi some more. Kakashi pulled an orange book out of his pocket and started to read. Iruka walked over to him, snatched the book out of his hand and whacked him on the head with it. "Don't read that in front of kids," Iruka snapped.

_Oh my god, why did I do that?_

Kakashi looked up at Iruka. Iruka's hand flew up to his mouth. "I am so sorry, I don't know why I did that!" He thrust the book back at Kakashi.

"So violent, sensei!" Kakashi said, raising his eyebrows, taking the book and tucking it away again.

Naruto laughed and pointed at Kakashi. "Ha! You deserved that. Stupid book."

"No, he didn't, Naruto." Iruka went into the kitchen to fetch another cup of tea and took a few deep breaths. Returning to the living room he placed the tea in front of Naruto. "That was rude of me, I'm sorry Kakashi-sensei," he said, settling onto the unoccupied end of the table.

"You'd better check me for concussion," Kakashi replied seriously. "Head injuries are no joke." Iruka whacked him on the arm. Kakashi laughed. Naruto looked between the two of them and scratched his head.

 

 

Naruto stayed for about an hour. Iruka noted with some amusement that Naruto seemed to have a personal mission to annoy Kakashi. On the other hand, Kakashi was a master at pretending to be completely oblivious.

_All that practice irritating Guy._

_Wait..., what?_

Iruka frowned in concentration. He was remembering something. Just a little bit. There had to be more. He thought as hard as he could. Something about Kakashi being intentionally irritating…

He felt a gentle touch on his arm, "Don't try to force it, Iruka." Kakashi looked at him a bit worriedly.

"Did you remember something?" Naruto yelped. "What was it?"

Iruka smiled, suddenly feeling drained. "Nothing important, Naruto. It was pretty vague to be honest."

"You're looking a bit done in. You should have a rest." Kakashi still looked a bit worried.

Iruka nodded, "Yes, I think I should. I'm feeling pretty tired."

Naruto jumped to his feet. "I'm sorry Iruka-sensei! I should have gone sooner. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I'll head off now."

"Actually," Kakashi said looking at Naruto, "just before you go, I need to get some things from home if I'm going to stay over tonight."

"Stay over?" Naruto asked, squinting one eye suspiciously at Kakashi.

"Tsunade-sama said I wasn't to leave Iruka-sensei alone until she gave the all-clear. But I doubt he's going to want to share his toothbrush."

"Ew," Naruto replied, looking a bit grossed out.

"Let's get you lying down first though, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi said. Iruka nodded and stood up. Suddenly, the world swam and his legs wobbled underneath him. Kakashi's hands formed seals quickly and instantly he was beside Iruka, holding him firmly in his arms.

_Kakashi smells nice._

"Easy does it, sensei." Kakashi helped Iruka into his room, pulled out his hair tie, and eased him down on to the bed. Iruka rolled onto his side, curled up slightly and blinked sleepily at him. Kakashi smiled and Iruka closed his eyes, falling asleep.

 


	3. Sharp Objects and Boiling Liquids

Iruka awoke a few hours later with the late afternoon sun slanting into his room. He noted with a smile that someone, and he thought it more likely to be Kakashi than Naruto, had covered him with a thin blanket. He carefully sat up, and, the world staying where it was supposed to be, swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. The world continued to stay where it was supposed to, and his legs seemed to be working fine. Relieved, he walked in to the living area.

Kakashi looked up from where he was lounging on the floor, a book from Iruka's bookshelf in his hand. "Feeling better?"

Iruka nodded his assent and flopped down next to the other man. He noted that the tea things had been tidied away and his stack of papers were neatly sitting on a side table, out of the way. "Thanks for taking care of me."

"No problem. It was a good reason to get rid of Naruto anyway." Kakashi grinned through his mask.

Iruka grinned back at him, "He's a good kid."

"He's loud."

"He's a kid, it's in their contracts."

"Some are louder than others."

"Read the fine print. They reserve the right to be as loud as they want, when they want."

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"That's not the right book," Iruka said after a short silence.

"It's not?" Kakashi looked at him curiously.

"No, it's not orange."

"Am I only allowed to read orange books?"

"That orange book you were reading earlier. That seemed normal. Well, normal for you." Iruka rubbed the back of his neck, still a bit embarrassed about whacking the other man on the head with aforementioned book previously. "But something looks totally wrong with this picture. I'm pretty sure you always read … orange."

"Well," Kakashi smirked, "when I'm not reading an  _Icha Icha_ , I usually put a nice orange  _Icha Icha_  dust jacket on whatever I am reading - I have appearances to uphold. So I guess you're right!"

Iruka laughed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"So, things are starting to come back?" Kakashi asked, setting the book down.

"A little bit. Not much. What I've remembered so far is a bit vague, and not particularly useful."

"Doesn't matter, it's a start. Tsunade-sama said that any memory return was a good sign."

Iruka nodded. The pair sat companionably in silence for a few minutes. Iruka's stomach growled. He grimaced. "I'm hungry," he stated redundantly.

"You don't say."

"I don't remember when I last had food."

"At the hospital. They made you eat... whatever that was."

"That wasn't food," Iruka argued.

"True. Who knows when you last had food then. Perhaps you've been living on tea alone for days. Perhaps you only eat once a week, like a snake, stuffing yourself full of ramen and then slowly digesting it over time."

"I don't think that's very likely." Iruka stared levelly at Kakashi who shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, I have a feeling I like food too much to only eat once a week." Iruka made to get to his feet.

"Careful," Kakashi said, leaping up to his first and offering the young teacher a hand.

Iruka accepted the assistance and stood, then flicked the loose hair that fell into his face with the movement back. "I'm okay now," he said smiling at Kakashi. Iruka was puzzled to notice a trace of pink in Kakashi's cheek.

"Better safe than sorry," Kakashi replied.

"Well, I'm going to go and handle sharp objects now. And boiling liquids!" He moved towards the kitchen.

"I'd better come supervise then."

"You," Iruka tossed back over his shoulder, "are going to put what I'm certain are awesome knife skills to work."

 

 

Iruka hunted around the kitchen, investigating what he had to work with to make a meal. Humming happily to himself, he gathered several things on the bench top. He threw some onions at Kakashi, "Find a chopping board and a knife, and make yourself useful."

Kakashi reached into his kunai pouch and drew out one of the wicked blades.

"A cooking knife, Kakashi," Iruka said without turning around. He felt, rather than saw, Kakashi's eyebrow raise, and allowed himself a small chuckle as he measured rice into the rice cooker sitting helpfully on the bench. Appropriate tools in hand, Kakashi made quick work of the hapless onions.

Within a short amount of time, Iruka, with help from his assistant, had managed to concoct a decent meal. They took their bowls into the living area, and seated themselves at his low table. Kakashi hooked a finger over the edge of his mask, and pulled it down under his chin. Iruka blinked.

_Whoa… he_ is _crush-worthy._

Kakashi took a bite of the food. "Not bad, sensei, I guess you don't just live on ramen after all," he said approvingly.

Iruka stopped staring at Kakashi's exposed face and grinned at him, "I told you! I had a feeling I liked food too much!" He paused a little, "I do wonder who taught me to cook, though, if my mother died when I was young."

"There's an awful lot of orphans in this town. Someone takes pity on you, you kidnap someone and make them help you, or you die of malnutrition. That, or you're Naruto and you live on milk and instant ramen, defying the odds."

"He's an orphan?"

"Yeah. I think that's part of the reason why you've taken to him." Kakashi regarded Iruka. "He's also a bit of a hell raiser, which apparently you were when you were a kid."

Iruka laughed, "Oh yeah? And then I decided to become an Academy teacher, and subject myself to what I put others through? I must be deranged."

"Or some kind of hero," Kakashi countered. "You wouldn't catch me trying to keep a class of pre-genin in order; too much mayhem and snot. I'll stick to S-class missions, thanks."

Iruka laughed.  _S-class. He's pretty elite then._ Iruka rubbed the scar on his nose frustratedly.  _Why do I remember mission grades when I can't remember when my birthday is?_

Iruka watched Kakashi eating, with an easy grace and no wasted movements. Kakashi noticed him watching and looked up with a curious expression on his face. Iruka found himself looking away with a slight flush on his cheeks.

Oh, good, Iruka. Now he's going to think you're a teenage girl.Iruka busied himself with his own food.

They finished their meal, and cleared away the dishes, Iruka happily humming to himself as he washed them. He thought he saw Kakashi watching him at points, but whenever he looked at the man he was looking at what he was drying with a cloth.

Dishes put away, the pair retired to the living area again. Kakashi returned to the book he'd been reading while Iruka investigated his possessions, trying to get some insight into the life he'd forgotten. Completely absorbed by what he was doing, Iruka lost track of time, until several hours had passed, and he felt fatigue settling back onto him.

"I'm going to take a shower," he said through a yawn to Kakashi who nodded without pausing from his reading.

 

 

Fresh from his shower, and clad in a pair of pyjama bottoms, Iruka walked in to the living area to catch Kakashi mid-yawn.

"Come on then, Kakashi," Iruka said holding his hand out to the other man, "bedtime."

"Huh?" Kakashi replied eloquently.

"Well, I've only got one bed."

"I was going to sleep on the floor."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure you've slept beside people on missions before." Iruka grinned, "As long as you don't molest me, it'll be fine."

"What if you molest me?" Kakashi regarded him solemnly, putting his book down.

"I promise to control myself."

"Well then, that's an offer I can't refuse."

Iruka chuckled as Kakashi took his hand and allowed Iruka to pull him up.

"I should probably shower first," Kakashi said.

"Be my guest," Iruka replied. "I found towels in the cupboard in the bathroom."

Iruka curled up into his bed, listening to the sound of the running shower, growing drowsy. The shower stopped, and after a few minutes he felt Kakashi climb in to the bed next to him. "'Night, 'Kashi," Iruka murmured, eyes too heavy to open.

"Goodnight," Kakashi replied softly.


	4. Men in green bodysuits should not spoon.

Iruka slowly came awake into the early morning light. He was warm. Warm was good. His head was resting comfortably on a warm, firm pillow, his arm draped comfortably over another warm, firm... wait a second. Pillows aren't warm, or firm, at least not this firm. He opened his eyes drowsily. Kakashi was lying on his back, still fast asleep, face turned away, arm underneath Iruka and Iruka's head resting on his shoulder. Iruka's arm was draped over Kakashi's bare chest, and his leg tangled between Kakashi's. He felt a faint blush rising to his cheeks.

_I should move… but, warm, comfortable... smells nice…_  He dozed off again.

The next time Iruka awoke, it was because of gentle movement. Iruka opened his eyes. Kakashi was looking at him sleepily through half lidded eyes, and Iruka was still well and truly draped over him. Kakashi's hitae-ate was off and Iruka could see the wicked scar over Kakashi's left eye, and a hint of red in the iris.

_That looks like it must have hurt._

Kakashi smirked a bit. "I should have picked you for a snuggler," he said, bringing Iruka's attention back to the position they were in.

Iruka buried his face into Kakashi's shoulder, his loose hair falling down to hide his face.

_Ack!_

"Oh god, I'm so sorry."

"'S'okay. I woke up on a mission once being spooned by Guy. That was a bit weird. Men in green bodysuits should not spoon. There's no where to hide... uh... normal morning... reactions."

Iruka snorted a laugh into Kakashi's shoulder and went to push himself up off the man. He felt the muscles in the arm underneath him moving a bit and a hand on the back of his head pushed him back down.

"It's nice. Stay there," Kakashi mumbled.

Iruka had been quite comfortable, so he relaxed back against Kakashi's shoulder, and they both lay there for a while, drowsy and warm. After a while, it occurred to him that certain morning bodily responses were indeed quite normal, and he was having one. He wriggled a little, trying to move his body a tiny bit away from Kakashi's, to hide the evidence.

"No squirming," Kakashi said, "squirming will test my resolve."

"Um..." Iruka was at a loss for a response.

"But out of deference to your present medical condition, and my gentlemanly nature," Kakashi said stretching languidly, "coffee."

Iruka snorted. "Gentlemanly nature?" Kakashi's chest vibrated with his chuckle.

Iruka decided that stretching sounded like a marvellous idea, rolling off Kakashi to get the most out of it. Then he threw the covers off himself, and careful to keep his back to the other man, he headed to the bathroom to relieve his insistent bladder.

 

 

Clad still in pyjama bottoms and leaning against the kitchen bench, Iruka regarded Kakashi as he drank his coffee. Kakashi was sitting on the kitchen counter, similarly clad in pyjama bottoms and sipping from his coffee cup. Iruka had been watching him for a few minutes. The first thing that Iruka was aware of, was that Kakashi had some unpleasant looking, relatively fresh injuries. There were several cuts that had been healed, and an impressive looking bruise over his left ribcage. It too looked like it had been healed, but there was still work for his body to do to clear up the remnants of the damage. The thing was the size of two hands, curving around from front to back.

The second thing that he was aware of was that Kakashi's pyjama bottoms were slung dangerously low on his hips. A silvery trail of hair wound down from the belly button on his rock hard stomach, and wended its way past the drawstring of the pyjamas. Iruka flushed a little.

_Good grief, Iruka, you_ are _a teenage girl._

That thought didn't stop his gaze roaming over the bare chest, the broad shoulders, to the uncovered face and the silvery hair hanging in front of Kakashi's left eye. Iruka felt the flush deepen to a full blush. He rolled his eyes internally at himself.

The third thing that Iruka was highly aware of was that Kakashi was completely lost in thought. He was sipping from the coffee automatically, eyes staring vacantly into space. While Kakashi's lack of awareness might be convenient for Iruka to not get caught blushing like a teenager, it occurred to him that it was unusual. Not that he could remember very much yet, but shinobi were typically a paranoid lot. His assessment from the night before was even further supported by the musculature in Kakashi's body, and the way that he moved. Iruka didn't think that elite shinobi ever really let their guard drop.

_He seems really… comfortable around me. Although he said he's never been to my place before. I can't work out what kind of relationship we had. He was trying to avoid looking after me at first, but now..._

"You shouldn't let your mind wander", Iruka said over the top of his coffee cup, "it's too little to be out alone." Kakashi choked on his coffee and his startled gaze rose up to meet Iruka's. Iruka smirked.

"Hey now, I'm a recognised genius." Kakashi said, recovering instantly and adopting an over-the-top expression of affront.

"Is that so? Doesn't mean all that much. Some geniuses don't remember to wear pants," Iruka responded dead pan.

"I wear pants. Most of the time... Okay, so pants are optional. I don't see the problem."

Iruka grinned at him and Kakashi grinned back.

"Sorry," Kakashi said after a bit. "I'm used to being alone in the mornings. I do a lot of thinking. Came in real handy helping me be late to meet my team. Irritated the hell out of Naruto and Sakura." He chuckled, "Good times."

_The girl in team seven, Sakura._

"You're a terrible role model!" Iruka said with a shake of his head, pushing himself up off the bench, completely oblivious to the fact that  _ _his__  pyjama bottoms were dangerously low slung on his hips. "But you're welcome to be lost in thought as much as you want." He stretched and moved past Kakashi to head to the bedroom to get dressed.

 

 

There was a knock on the door, and Iruka changed direction, walking over and opening it. Recognising the girl from the team seven photo, he was glad that Kakashi had recently supplied him with her name.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!"

"Good morning, Iruka-sensei," she replied. "Tsunade-sama asked... me... to..." she trailed off, her gaze wandering from Iruka's face, framed by loose strands of long hair, over his bare torso to the top of his pyjama bottoms. She blushed.

"Pants aren't optional around kids, Iruka-sensei!" Kakashi called from the kitchen.

Iruka closed his eyes briefly, a little embarrassed. "Come in, Sakura-chan. Just let me get dressed and I'll be right with you."

He heard Kakashi's laugh from the kitchen and looked daggers in that direction. He went into the bedroom and changed into simple blue pants and shirt. After a beat Kakashi appeared with a teleportation jutsu and a massive grin. Iruka looked at him darkly and Kakashi indicated his own half naked appearance.

"Thought I'd take the short cut; I know how devastating I am." He struck a pose and Iruka couldn't help but laugh.

"You're still an idiot."

"Mm, a genius idiot!"

"That doesn't make sense."

"Your face doesn't make sense."

"Oh my god, I have ten year old looking after me." Iruka covered his eyes with his hand.

Kakashi smirked at him, and Iruka shook his head and chuckled. Grabbing a hair tie, he pulled his hair off his face and headed back in to the living room to properly greet the young woman. Sakura was looking just a little dazed. She hadn't come very far in to the room, and was holding a bag in front of her with both hands.

"So, Sakura-chan, Tsunade-sama sent you?" Iruka asked, to gain her attention.

She looked up at him and after a pause her thoughts appeared to clear. "Oh, yes, Iruka-sensei. Tsunade-sama asked me to come take a look at you."

Iruka tilted his head slightly to one side, a bit puzzled. Kakashi, now clothed also in simple pants and a shirt, but with the added extras of mask and hitae-ate over his eye, came into the room. "Sakura-chan is doing medical training under Tsunade-sama," he explained.

"Oh! Right, sure thing, Sakura-chan," Iruka replied, sitting down.

Sakura opened the bag and pulled out the light that Iruka was none too fond of. She came over to him and proceeded to check him over. "I'm sorry I came a bit early," she said whilst looking in his eyes with the light. "You're normally up early because of classes, it didn't occur to me that you wouldn't be ready for company."

"It's not a problem, Sakura-chan, just having a bit of a lazy start. You arrived after coffee, so there's no emergency!"

Sakura smiled and continued with her examination. "Are you remembering anything? You knew my name."

"Ah, actually that's because Kakashi-sensei mentioned it. I've only had some really vague almost memories… it's kind of like almost remembering something, without really remembering it." Iruka looked chagrined, "That probably doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Kind of sounds like that feeling you get when a smell is really familiar and it reminds you of something, but you just can't place it," Sakura offered.

"Or when you remember you put your keys in the egg carton in the fridge and have no idea why you put them there," Kakashi mused thoughtfully. Sakura and Iruka both looked at him. "I speak hypothetically of course. I'd never do something like that," Kakashi said.

Sakura shook her head bemusedly. "What about a return of any of your other symptoms, Iruka-sensei?" she asked turning her attention back to her patient.

"Hmm, well yesterday afternoon I suddenly got incredibly tired, and had some balance issues. But I took a nap and felt better when I got up."

"Did you black out at all?"

Iruka thought about it. "Not that I recall. Sleepy, vertigo, wobbly legs…"

"Swooning," contributed Kakashi helpfully.

"I did not swoon!" Iruka protested.

"It looked like swooning. I had to carry you to bed..."

Iruka glared at him. He felt Sakura stop moving and turned his head to look at her. She was blushing again.

"… and your face was lightly flushed, and you were resting your head on my shoulder…" Kakashi continued.

"Kakashi!" Iruka interrupted, as Sakura's blush deepened, and one appeared on his own cheeks, "are you enjoying yourself trying to break my former students?"

"Will you give me a cookie if I can make her swoon?"

"I'll give you a beating if you make her swoon."

"Hot. I'll hold you to that."

"Kakashi! Stop that this instant!" Iruka was using his teacher voice.

"Yes, sensei," Kakashi replied demurely.

"Sakura-chan?" Iruka said softly. She was still blushing, and looking dazed again. She shook her head and glared at Kakashi. He beamed at her. She growled a little.

"Well, Iruka-sensei, you seem to be doing okay," she said, turning her attention back to her patient. "Tsunade-sama said she wanted you to drop in this evening for her to give you a check-over."

"Will do, Sakura-chan. Thank you."

"No problem, Iruka-sensei," she replied, putting her things back into the bag. "And now it's your turn, Kakashi-sensei."

"What? No, I'm fine!" Kakashi protested.

"You weren't fine two days ago."

"I heal fast."

"Not that fast."

"You do have a pretty nasty bruise, Kakashi," Iruka said quietly.

"That would be from the broken ribs," Sakura said.

"They aren't broken any more!" Kakashi protested.

"Only because you actually received medical attention for a change." Sakura looked at Iruka and rolled her eyes. "Stubborn jounin won't get medical help unless he's practically unconscious. If there's a silver lining to your accident, it's that it brought him in to get some attention. He'd only just come back from a solo mission, had several lacerations, three broken ribs and almost no chakra."

Iruka winced, "You mean he had broken ribs when he carried me to the hospital?"

Sakura nodded.

"Stop talking like I'm not here," Kakashi said, "it's creepy. The ribs got fixed, I'm not exactly burning through the chakra keeping an eye on Iruka. Stop fussing."

"After I see your injury," Sakura responded.

Kakashi grumbled and raised the edge of his shirt so Sakura could inspect his ribs. She gave the area a good look, and did something with her chakra over it. Then she gave it a firm poke with her finger. Kakashi didn't twitch.

"Happy?" he said, dropping his shirt back down.

"Fine," Sakura replied, "but take care of your chakra. You should probably have stayed another night in the hospital in the condition you were in."

_Another night?_

"You're sounding more like your master every day."

"Why thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"That wasn't a compliment," he grumbled.

"If you say so," she replied picking up her bag. She turned her attention back to Iruka. "Right, I'll head off then. Make sure you take it easy still, Iruka-sensei.

Iruka nodded, "I will, thank you Sakura-chan."

Sakura walked over to the door. "And don't let Kakashi-sensei give you any trouble."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Kakashi asked innocently.

Sakura gave him a level look and let herself out.


	5. Stealing Apples

The rest of the morning passed fairly uneventfully. Iruka wanted to stock up on some groceries, so he headed out, with Kakashi sauntering along behind him as he shopped. Quite a lot of people greeted him as they moved through the town. Iruka smiled happily and returned greetings, but kept moving so he wouldn't be engaged in conversations that he knew nothing about. Kakashi just buried his nose in his glaringly orange book so most people left him alone. Iruka decided that perhaps Kakashi's __Icha Icha__ addiction had more to it than met the eye. The man was decidedly sneaky.

Iruka did notice a few double takes when shinobi saw him with Kakashi. He was puzzled by the looks of surprise, and in the end decided it was probably not so much them being together as Kakashi being out and about. He was usually in some way involved in a mission, or lounging up a tree. Iruka looked at Kakashi and squinted his eyes. Yes, it was easy to picture Kakashi in a tree. He was almost remembering something again. Kakashi looked at him questioningly. Iruka shrugged, "It's nothing." Kakashi raised his eyebrow, but let it go.

Taking home his supplies, Iruka felt surprisingly tired from such a simple task, and felt the need for sleep. He made sure the groceries were put away, and then let Kakashi know he was in need of a rest.

"Will you be all right by yourself, or do you need someone to snuggle?" Kakashi teased.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Iruka replied coolly.

"Oh, my worthy rival, such a hip and cool reply!" Kakashi chuckled. Iruka looked at him thoughtfully, the comment seeming really familiar, as a sudden image of Kakashi dressed in a green bodysuit and orange leg warmers flashed into his mind.

"In your dreams!" Kakashi protested, correctly guessing his thoughts.

"We'll see," Iruka replied with a bemused smirk.

 

 

When Iruka awoke from his sleep, it was violent. He sat up abruptly, flailing his arms in front of him and gasping. Suddenly he was pulled into a strong, warm embrace.

"Shh, Iruka," he heard Kakashi's voice through the echoes in his mind. "It's just a dream." Iruka's gasps decreased to panting, and he wrapped his arms around Kakashi's waist and let his head drop on the other's shoulder. His body shook as he began to sob, and he tightened his arms around Kakashi. Kakashi's hand gently stroked the back of his head. "Shh, it's okay. You're safe now." Kakashi held him while his sobs slowly decreased. Once they had stopped, Iruka's arms relaxed around Kakashi's waist, but he didn't move them, nor did Kakashi stop stroking his hair or release him. Eventually, Iruka became too self conscious of being held in the other man's arms and gently pushed himself back. Kakashi released him but then moved his hands to Iruka's upper arms, holding him as he looked into his eyes.

"What was it?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing really," Iruka replied. He rubbed at the scar on his nose, "Just a nightmare."

"It didn't seem like nothing," Kakashi said, wiping a tear from the corner of Iruka's eye with his thumb, before returning his hand to Iruka's arm. "What do you remember?"

Iruka wasn't really sure if he wanted to describe what he remembered from the dream, it felt a bit childish.

"Tell me," Kakashi said quietly, "please."

Iruka paused a moment, looking back at Kakashi, and then acquiesced. "It was kind of strange, because I know I was me, but I was only a child in the dream, and I was terrified. There was something horrible and it had killed people and was going to kill me. There were massive legs and I was running between them, but I knew I couldn't keep avoiding them and I was going to be crushed and killed." He smiled ruefully, "Just a dream."

There was a pause while Kakashi just looked at him, and then he said seriously, "So it wasn't about me wearing a bodysuit and leg warmers then?"

Iruka laughed a bit manically, "No, no bodysuits or leg warmers."

"Good," Kakashi replied, "even in dreams I have an image to protect."

Iruka chuckled then took a few deep breaths.

Kakashi smiled at Iruka and let his hands drop from Iruka's arms. "Feeling better? It fading?"

"Yes," Iruka replied, feeling the high emotions settle, and his heart rate return to normal. He smiled a bit weakly at Kakashi, "Thank you for being here. I feel a bit stupid, it just felt so real. And familiar, like a dream I've had before."

Kakashi paused, searching his face. "Maybe it  _ _is__  a dream you've had before. Sounds kind of like a nightmare a kid would have following the Kyuubi attack."

"The what?"

"The demon that killed your parents, and a lot of other people. You were just a kid. Nightmares seem par for the course."

There was something about Kakashi's words that sat strangely for Iruka. "You were just a kid, too, weren't you?"

Kakashi looked away. "I was never a kid," he said, standing. He made to leave the room, but Iruka grabbed his hand first. Kakashi turned back to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Iruka asked softly. Kakashi regarded him for a moment. "Tell me," Iruka said, unconsciously using the same words, tone of voice and inflection as Kakashi had moments before, "please." Kakashi looked at him a little longer, and then sighed gently and sat back down.

"I didn't have a childhood as other kids had one," he said. "I graduated from the Academy at five, I was a chuunin at six. When other kids were playing at shinobi, giving themselves missions like stealing apples from a neighbour's yard or trying to follow someone without getting caught, I was doing real missions."

Iruka looked at him, with sympathy in his eyes, "I'm sorry. That must have been very lonely."

Kakashi's eyes widened, and then Iruka found himself being pulled into the other man's embrace again.

"Thank you," he heard Kakashi mumble. "Most people, when they learn that about me look at me with awe or intimidation. You're the only person other than my sensei and the Third to look at me with sympathy." Iruka slid his arms back around Kakashi's waist and hugged him. Again they stayed in each other's arms for a moment, and then just as Iruka was going to ask Kakashi another question, Kakashi leaned back, stood up, and grabbed Iruka's hand. "That's enough angst for one day. Come on, time for some fun."

"What are we going to do?" Iruka queried.

"Let's go steal some apples," Kakashi replied with a grin. Iruka laughed and let himself be led out of the apartment.

 

 

It was pushing early evening by the time they went to find Tsunade; she was in the Hokage's office. Iruka was going to head up the stairs, but Kakashi beamed at him and waved his hand. "This way, Sensei. I have my own entrance." Iruka looked at him puzzled, but followed. They entered the office through the window. Tsunade glared at them, and then when she saw the two of them looking somewhat disheveled her eyes widened a bit.

"Have you two been fighting?" she asked looking worried.

Iruka giggled, pulling a twig out of his pony tail and shook his head in the negative.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow and looked at Kakashi. He spread his hands and shrugged.

Her eyebrow dropped and she looked at them both flatly. "Guy was in here before", she said, folding her arms, "he said he had an eerie feeling he was being followed. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Iruka and Kakashi shared a look and then their bodies started to shake with stifled chortles.

Tsunade passed her hand in front of her eyes, "I don't know which of you is worse."

"Well," Kakashi said, "If I hadn't pulled him behind a tree, Iruka would have been spotted, so I'd say he is."

"At least I didn't have to hide in a baby supply store." Iruka retorted. "Half of those women looked like they thought you were going to eat their baby. The other half looked like they wanted to take you home. I didn't think you were going to get out alive."

"I'd be worried about getting out of here alive if I were you," Tsunade glared. "You're both supposed to be taking it easy."

"Oh, we have been. Other than masking our presence we didn't use any chakra," Kakashi said. "It'd be over instantly if we hadn't done that, but otherwise we were just following the old fashioned way."

"Can I ask WHY you were following Guy around?"

Iruka grinned at Tsunade, "For fun."

"Fun?" Tsunade glowered. "You're shinobi."

"I don't see why that means we can't have fun," Kakashi said, "you should try it. Follow Shizune around for awhile." Kakashi's eyes widened in revelation. "That's GENIUS! It'd drive her completely crazy. You'd be following her while she would be looking for you. It could go on for hours!"

Tsunade shook her head in exasperation, "How are you putting up with him?" she asked Iruka.

"I give as good as I get," Iruka replied, grinning.

"Kinky," Kakashi smirked. Iruka whacked him.

"I also whack him a lot," Iruka added.

"You might need to take a look at my bruises," Kakashi said dryly.

Tsunade rolled her eyes.

Eventually Tsunade gave up on attempting reprimand the two men. They were completely without remorse, and given the fact that they had only really indulged in a bit of light exercise, she couldn't complain about them medically. Kakashi's chakra levels were regenerating adequately and other than tiredness Iruka was progressing to her satisfaction. Given his propensity for needing afternoon naps though, she wanted Kakashi to continue his supervision.

Before they left, Kakashi quietly put an apple on Tsunade's desk, then with a cheeky wave, jumped out the window. She stared at Iruka. He maintained a straight face as he put another apple next to it, and followed Kakashi.


	6. Monumental Dams

The two men headed back to Iruka's apartment and Iruka busied himself making an evening meal again. Kakashi was lounging around spectating, although he helped out whenever requested. He also kept stealing pieces of carrot that Iruka had cut. Iruka didn't SEE him steal the carrot, but he knew he'd done it, because pieces of carrot didn't know teleportation jutsus. He stared flatly at Kakashi. Kakashi looked back at him innocently and chewed.

Iruka dug another carrot out of the fridge and offered it to Kakashi.

Kakashi shook his head, "No thanks, I don't want to ruin my appetite."

That didn't stop more pieces of carrot disappearing, or more innocent expressions whilst chewing. Iruka managed to keep enough pieces of carrot in the end by tipping the pieces in to a bowl and carrying them in front of him whatever he was doing. His cooking was slightly hampered by his carrot accoutrements, but eventually he managed to finish the meal, complete with carrots.

Iruka and Kakashi ate their meal amiably, cleared away the dishes, then sprawled on the floor together. Kakashi was reading his appropriated book, and Iruka had found a box of photographs. He started looking through them, one by one. There were some photos of scenery and of things, some of people. He was particularly interested in the people pictures, and was pleased to discover that he was the kind of person who wrote the name of the subject and the date on the back of the photo.

There were a good number of photos of himself at various ages. With unerring accuracy, especially for a man purportedly reading a book, Kakashi's hand would snake out, and filch them to take a good look. When he found one of toddler Iruka wearing a waste paper basket on his head like a helmet, he actually giggled. Iruka snatched the picture back off him, but as Kakashi continued to giggle, found himself giggling as well.

"You were a pretty cute kid, sensei."

"I don't know what you mean," Iruka replied, "all kids are cute."

"Not all kids are cute," Kakashi responded emphatically, "but you were." He stuck his nose back in his book.

  
  


  
  


After a time, Iruka realised it was growing late, and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Dressed in his pyjama bottoms and rubbing his hair with his towel, he came back in to the living area, where Kakashi was still reading. He threw a dry towel at Kakashi.

"Get yourself into the shower, you still have twigs in your hair."

Kakashi grinned at him, putting the toddler photo of Iruka he had reappropriated into the book as a bookmark. "Yes, yes, sensei." He headed into the bathroom and Iruka heard the water start running. Iruka tidied away his box of photos and a short while later Kakashi reappeared in the living room, damp hair falling into his eyes.

"That's better. I was worried a bird might try to turn you in to its nest." Iruka said dryly.

"That would be ironic, given my name," Kakashi replied. Iruka grinned at him.

"Well," Iruka said, "I know this won't come as a surprise, but I'm tired." He looked away a little uncertainly, not sure what Kakashi really thought about waking up to find himself sprawled all over.

"Want me to sleep on the floor?" Kakashi asked.

"Only if you want to." Iruka looked up at him to find a questioning expression on Kakashi's face. "I'm really sorry! It must have been more than a bit strange to wake up to have me using you as a pillow."

Kakashi shook his head with a small smile. "Honestly, it's nothing to fret about. There are far worse ways to wake up in the morning. But if you're going to worry about it, I'll sleep on the floor."

Iruka looked into his face for a moment and realised that Kakashi really didn't seem disturbed by the situation he'd found himself in that morning.

"Nah, I can't promise I won't do it again, but if that doesn't bother you, I'd rather you were comfortable too. Come on."

  
  


  
  


In the morning, Iruka found himself in exactly the same situation as the morning before, snuggled up against, and draped across Kakashi. This time, however, the arm underneath him was curled up over him somewhat protectively and Kakashi's face was resting against the top of his head. As Iruka moved gently coming awake, Kakashi came awake too.

"Morning, sweetheart," Kakashi mumbled into his hair, laying his arm down on the bed.

Iruka chuckled, "Sorry."

"Your hair smells like strawberries."

Iruka stretched carefully.

"You know your talk in your sleep?" Kakashi asked.

"I do not!" Iruka protested.

"I have evidence to the contrary."

"Oh god, did I say anything embarrassing?" Iruka pushed himself up and stared with some horror at Kakashi

"You professed your undying love for me and promised to make me lunch every day."

Iruka whacked Kakashi on the shoulder.

"Okay, I made the bit up about lunch."

Iruka whacked him again.

"Okay, okay!" Kakashi chuckled a bit, and then sobered up. "Actually I think you were dreaming about your parents. I could only understand a few words here and there."

"Oh," Iruka replied.

Kakashi was silent for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you want to go see them?"

"Huh?"

"The monument. I've seen you there before. All the names of the shinobi who died serving Konoha are inscribed there. I visit important people there, too."

Iruka thought about it. "Yes, I think I would like that very much.

  
  


  
  


After downing a cup of coffee each, and getting dressed, they headed out. Kakashi's aura changed as soon as they headed towards the monument, and even more so once it came in to sight. He was grave, respectful, and sad.

As they drew closer, Iruka felt a reverence wash over him. He walked up to the monument, and looked at the names inscribed thereupon. Recognising the names of his parents, he gently ran his fingers over their inscriptions, and then started reading the names inscribed after. There were so many, and he realised with a start that he didn't just recognise the names of his parents… he pretty much knew every name. The Fourth, the Third, Hayate... faces began flashing into his mind one by one, faster and faster. Iruka started to feel dizzy.

It was like a dam bursting inside his brain; Iruka's forgotten life came tumbling into his mind. Memories rushed in, one after the other, not pausing for each other to complete. They came in haphazard order, some more vibrant and distinct, others vague and blurry.

Excitement at passing the chuunin exam… curled into a foetal ball crying his heart out after his parents were killed... giving Naruto his own hitae-ate,  _"Congratulations on graduating"_ … setting out with his genin team on their first mission… the Uchihas massacred… throwing chalk at Shikamaru who had fallen asleep… reading and re-reading the book his parents had given him… Kakashi presenting an illegible mission report, _"Punctuation was invented for a reason, Kakashi-sensei"_ …

Wrapped, giggling in his parent's arms, covered in jam and… Sandaime's funeral… slurping ramen happily with Naruto… his first day at the Academy… Sasuke abandoned the village, and almost killed Naruto… watching the clouds in a field of flowers on a hot summer day… a sick feeling in his stomach when he heard that Kakashi had been rendered unconscious by Itachi _..._  talking with Sandaime at the monument… arguing with Kakashi over the chuunin selection exam, _"Putting them into a dangerous situation might be interesting. Ruining them is also interesting."_

Crying with laughter as his prank covered his sensei in a cloud of chalk dust… Mizuki was out of control and without remorse... Kakashi's benign expression after handing in a report with all of the dots and short lines turned into smiley faces… Sandaime showing him Naruto's new jounin sensei's pass/fail genin list  _"Yes, Kakashi has never passed a single person"_ … Chasing after Naruto, Kiba, Chouji and Shikamaru as they jumped out of a window to escape him… Naruto, sitting alone on the swing… secretly giggling at home over a cup of tea after first witnessing Naruto's sexy transformation…  _"It seems neither of us will be resting for a while, Iruka-sensei,"_  Kakashi said, summoning a ninken into his hand...

The memories came faster and faster, unrelenting, and his emotions went on a roller coaster ride with them. And then Iruka remembered the why he'd been so lost in his thoughts that he'd not been paying attention to his surroundings and had been caught in the back blast of Naruto's Rasengan. A flood of anger enveloped him

  
  


  
  


It was all that damn Hatake Kakashi's fault.


	7. Rules of the Game

 

Iruka clutched his head with a low moan and sank to his knees.

Kakashi dropped to his knees beside him, "Iruka?"

 

_Three days ago…_

Iruka was working at the mission desk when he suddenly sensed Kakashi. The jounin had been away on a lengthy solo mission, and he wasn't due back yet, but Iruka knew without a doubt that he was indeed back, just before he appeared in the room. Iruka took a deep breath. There were two things that he'd come to expect from the arrival of this particular jounin in the mission room. The first was that he was going to be the object of the man's attention, and the second was that he was about to become irritated.

Iruka had no idea why, but Kakashi always came to him, no matter who else was around. Being the object of Kakashi's attention was always somewhat of a challenge for Iruka. The jounin had a tendency to fling little comments around, and Iruka was never quite sure when he was joking.  _Underneath the underneath_ , Kakashi was fond of saying. Iruka was never sure how many levels Kakashi worked at exactly. He sometimes wondered why Kakashi didn't play Shougi with Shikamaru, the pair of them seemed to operate at a level no one else could quite follow. But then he figured that playing Shougi would take time away from lounging in a tree, or harassing Iruka.

So Kakashi would come to Iruka, and they'd engage in a conversation that Iruka would later analyse, trying to work out if he'd missed anything. Iruka would check Kakashi's reports, and invariably want to bang his head on the desk. It seemed he was involved in some type of game to which only Kakashi knew the rules.

Iruka was quite used by now, to what the jounin liked to call a report. Iruka was sure that Kakashi was capable of writing acceptable reports; he was fairly certain that he received decent ones, back when he'd barely known who the other man was. But as he'd grown increasingly aware of the jounin, and the jounin had taken to only submitting reports to him, said reports had started to become somewhat… erratic. There was always something wrong; spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, missing sections, out of order, covered in blood and other things that Iruka didn't want to think about, doodles in the margins, unnecessary details like the number of squirrels he'd seen on his journey, crushed beyond redemption… If he hadn't thought that Kakashi had far more enjoyable ways to use his time than report-writing, he'd have thought that it was intentional. That, however, was ridiculous. Everyone knew that Kakashi didn't do anything that he didn't need to, and he certainly wasn't going to put himself into the position of having to do something twice. He was far more likely to get something done as fast as possible, and then go lurk in a tree with his favourite book until Tsunade tracked him down and gave him something more productive to do.

So Iruka concluded that Kakashi just didn't care enough, and had decided that he could get away with it with Iruka.  _"He's improving so fast he'll reach your level, the level of a man he respects, in no time,"_ Kakashi had once said to him of Naruto. Iruka had barely known Kakashi then, but his retrospective analysis had lead him to suspect that rather than praising Naruto's progress, he was actually insulting Iruka. Of course that meant that whenever Iruka caught up with Naruto, and was subjected to stories about the awesomeness of the copy-ninja, he developed a rather queer feeling in the pit of his stomach. Kakashi was an elite jounin, and Iruka was a chuunin schoolteacher. It was hard to ever forget that. Not that Iruka was unhappy with where he was, quite the opposite. He loved his job, he loved his kids, and he didn't really want to be out on missions killing people, but he assumed that Kakashi thought that he was a glorified civilian.

Iruka had accepted a few of Kakashi's unsatisfactory reports, and had made them satisfactory by re-writing them personally. When he realised that as soon as he sensed the jounin, a tic developed in his eyebrow and he developed that queer feeling in his stomach, he couldn't let the other man get away with it. One day he looked at the report, then back at Kakashi who was slouching lazily on the other side of the desk, watching him, and handed Kakashi's report back. He made himself calmly state exactly what was wrong with it, and how Kakashi needed to fix it to make it suitable for submission, and then handed over a blank scroll. Kakashi had responded like one of the children Iruka taught, "But  _Iruka_ -sensei…" Iruka had given him a stern look and Kakashi had sighed, found somewhere to lounge nearby and started scribbling dutifully. Iruka contained his look of surprise. He wished he understood the rules of this game, but at least now he wasn't having to re-write the jounin's reports.

There was a new problem now, however. Kakashi could drag out his re-writes for quite some time, sometimes even starting over multiple times, and he always seemed to arrive when Iruka was supposed to be going off duty. Iruka had managed to go from one way of giving himself more work, to another, while he waited for Kakashi to finish and re-submit the report to him. Depending on the level of atrociousness of the report, he had also started smacking the irreverent jounin with the reports when they failed to make the grade; much to the amusement of the other people present in the room at the time.

Today, Iruka had a particular feeling of dread. It had been a very long week, and he was tired and stressed. He had been both teaching, and working in the mission room and hadn't had a lot of time to himself. He needed to pick up some groceries and he had a stack of tests to grade that he'd been procrastinating over long enough. His shift today in the mission room was only for the morning and it was supposed to be just about over. He'd been looking forward to getting out, going via the shops to get his groceries and just going home. His grand plan involved not even leaving his apartment tomorrow. No one should be as excited as he was about doing nothing. Despite normally really enjoying being around people and feeling energised by company, he was run down, frazzled, and desperate to just be by himself with a cup of tea and his own four walls.

And now he was going to be held back. A knot developed in his stomach.

Silently Kakashi handed over the scroll. There was a dark shadow under Kakashi's visible eye, but he was slouching with his hand in his pocket in his usual relaxed manner. He was watching Iruka with a strange expression that Iruka was unable to interpret. Iruka opened the report with trepidation, and then closed his eyes tiredly. It was dog-eared and crushed and almost entirely illegible as if Kakashi had been running while he wrote it. Iruka pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, and then… he just snapped.

"That does it!" he exclaimed, pushing his seat back and standing. All the talking in the room ceased and all eyes turned to look at him. Iruka's felt anger suffuse his body, and his shoulders began to shake. "What is wrong with you? So I disagreed with you once over the chuunin exams, are you going to torment me forever?"

"Torment you?" Kakashi responded, "I hardly think…"

"That's probably the problem!" Iruka interrupted heatedly, "You hardly think!"

Then words just came tumbling out of his mouth; his pent up frustrations, his confusion about the other man, his assumptions that Kakashi had little, if any, respect for him. And somewhere along the way while he vented, Kakashi appeared to snap too, and they'd ended up shouting at each other across the desk.

He didn't notice when the other people in the room slunk away to avoid the fall out. He didn't notice when Tsunade arrived. He didn't notice when she tried to make herself heard over their voices. He did notice when she banged her hand on the desk hard enough to crack it. Both he and Kakashi stopped, mid sentence and turned to look at her with twin faces of frustration. She glared at them both, lectured the pair of them about the inappropriateness of their actions, and then threw them out with instructions to go cool their heads. Kakashi had given Iruka a very strange look and vanished without another word. Iruka was glad to get out and leave the rest of the day, and the illegible report, in someone else's hands.

Instead of following his original plan of picking up groceries and heading home, he headed to the training fields to beat the living hell out of something. And lost in his anger, replaying what had happened, and thinking very dark thoughts about a certain frustrating jounin, he'd not been paying attention to his surroundings. He hadn't even realised that there was anyone else out on his chosen field until he'd heard a shout and then was caught in the back of a violent explosion, which had turned out to be Naruto's Rasengan. Then he had felt his head hit something exceedingly solid, and had known nothing further.

 

  
_Back to now..._

"Iruka?" Kakashi repeated, sounding worried.

Iruka looked at the object of his ire, expressionless. "I remember. I remember everything."

Kakashi's already pale face lost even more colour and his visible eye became hooded. "Let's get you to Tsunade-sama."

Iruka felt himself being lifted to his feet, "Let me go, Kakashi-sensei," he snapped irritably, swatting at the hands, "I'm quite capable of getting myself there."

"Fat chance," Kakashi responded heatedly.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Iruka protested, struggling to break free as Kakashi swung him up into his arms.

"Shut up, sensei," Kakashi said, holding the teacher in a vice-like grip, and leaping off in the direction of the Hokage's office.

 


	8. Poking Bears

The anger in Iruka's stomach was fully boiling by the time they got to the Hokage's office. "Let. Me. GO!" he shouted at Kakashi, pushing at the other man's arms. Kakashi let him go carefully, and took a step away, oddly stiff for a man capable of moving with extreme alacrity and grace.

"Kakashi, what on earth is going on?" Tsunade demanded.

Kakashi threw his hands up in frustration. "Apparently Iruka has his memories back." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I knew this was a bad idea," he added darkly.

"You know what's a bad idea?" Iruka snapped, "You are! You might be able to kill someone with just a single finger, and you might be a genius, but sometimes you're so clueless. You entertain yourself annoying people, you pass one genin team ever, and one of them just about kills another one and runs off… how about you stop reading books and try reading people?"

Kakashi froze.

"Iruka, stop, we're not doing this again!" Tsunade interrupted, banging her fist loudly on her desk. "Kakashi, it might be better if you go, I'll speak to you later." Kakashi nodded tersely and disappeared. "Iruka, calm down," Tsunade said, "why are you so angry?"

"How can you ask that? We cleared out the mission room with our arguing and then you threw us out." The redness in Iruka's face was only partly due to anger now. He was feeling somewhat mortified to have let himself act like that in such a place. "Damn that Kakashi," he muttered.

"Wait, you mean he hasn't done anything to you today? This is about what happened three days ago?" Tsunade looked puzzled.

"It doesn't seem like three days ago to me," Iruka retorted hotly, "I just got my memories back."

"Okay," Tsunade said, rubbing her temples. "Take a few deep breaths. I need you calm, you're going to give yourself an ulcer, or me a migraine. Walk with me to the hospital."

Iruka complied, taking several breaths and releasing them slowly. They walked together to the hospital while the boiling in his stomach lessened and his shoulders relaxed, settling down into normal position.

"Better," Tsunade said, leading him past reception with a nod to the staff. "Now, explain to me what has happened. When and how did your memories come back?"

"Just before Kakashi dragged me into your office. We were at the monument - Kakashi had taken me there to visit my parents. I started reading names, and as I read them I kept seeing faces, and then the faces just started coming faster and faster and suddenly all these memories rushed in."

"I see," Tsunade said thoughtfully, ushering him in to an examination room. "So, how do you feel?"

"Angry."

Tsunade chuckled wryly, "I can see that. I mean physically - any headache, dizziness, that sort of thing?"

"Oh," Iruka thought a moment and let himself analyse his body. "No, I feel fine actually, I felt dizzy when the memories all rushed in, but I feel fine now."

Tsunade made him take a seat on the hospital bed. She spent some time silently examining him, and then agreed with his assessment. "You do look to be physically normal, I can't see anything wrong with you at all; but you definitely need time to clear your head. Stay in here awhile, no one will disturb you."

"I'm not stupid enough to try and punch out the Copy-ninja," Iruka glowered.

"I'm not worried about that," Tsunade responded dismissively, "I just think you need time to process. Time has passed, you've been living your life since the accident, but your past is dominating your present. Your emotional status has picked up where you left it when you hit your head." She paused. "Plus it might be safer to keep you away from Kakashi for a little while, for both of you. You, so you can think. Him, he might be an incorrigible ass at times, but he's not without feeling. From what I've seen and heard, you two were getting along better than anyone could have anticipated. It would be best to give him some time to adjust to knowing you have all your old biases and opinions of him. It's probably best for you both to have a bit of space."

Iruka thought for a moment, and then he felt himself deflate. "It does seem a bit stupid to be angry about something that happened days ago." He frowned, "It's just the memory of it is new to me. Logic tells me that I shouldn't be angry any more, but I just am. And since Kakashi doesn't think much of me, and he does his best to irritate the hell out of me pretty much every time I see him, I can't fathom what on earth he's been up to these past three days."

"Iruka," Tsunade replied with some frustration, "what makes you think Kakashi doesn't think much of you? You're good at what you do. You're well-loved by everyone; your students, their families, and by the shinobi in this town. What makes you think he's any different?"

Iruka frowned, remembering. " _Oh yeah? And then I decided to become an Academy teacher, and subject myself to what I put others through? I must be deranged, _"__ he had said.

__"_ Or some kind of hero _,"__ Kakashi had countered. __"_ You wouldn't catch me trying to keep a class of pre-genin in order; too much mayhem and snot. I'll stick to S-class missions, thanks."_

"Plus, from what I understand, you've even stood up to him in the past," Tsunade continued. "He knows how intimidating he can be. People who can stand up to him, he respects them. Think about the test he gave Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke to see if he'd accept them as his genin team - they ultimately passed because they stood up to him and finally worked together."

Iruka continued to frown as he listened to Tsunade.

"Iruka, I think you're missing something important about Kakashi. It's obvious to me that he likes you. First of all, he hasn't been playing games with you for the past few days, he has been genuinely concerned. Secondly, prior to that - if he hadn't liked you - he'd have just ignored you. Kakashi likes poking bears."

"Poking bears?" Iruka asked, puzzled.

"It's part of his dubious charm. If he knows something bugs people and they'll bite, he'll keep doing it. It gives him some kind of perverse pleasure. Pretending not to hear Guy when he's waxing poetic, being late to meet his team, never using the door to my office...

Iruka didn't get where she was leading.

"… giving you badly written mission reports," she added softly.

Iruka's face registered his surprise.

"And if you think about it," she continued, "he only keeps doing it to people he actually likes. The problem is," she continued after having given Iruka a moment to process what she was saying, "that you're so passionate. First off, it makes you an easy target so he can't help himself, but it also means that you let it bother you more than the rest of us. We just try not to throw things at his head, and get over it."

Iruka sat on the hospital bed feeling confused. He always seemed to have a bit of trouble controlling his emotions around the man. There were a lot of times Iruka had snapped or glared at the jounin, or whacked him with reports, but the more he thought about it, other than the argument a few days ago, Kakashi had pretty much always smiled cheerfully back at him. Then there was the response when Iruka had made him re-write his report for the first time... __"_ But_ Iruka _ _-_ sensei _..."__ it was not unlike the playful Kakashi he'd spent time with in the past three days. What Tsunade was saying was gradually making sense. Perhaps… perhaps he'd been wrong in thinking Kakashi hadn't liked him.

"My question to you is though," she said crossing to the door and opening it, "even if Kakashi didn't like you, he's just one jounin. Why does it bother you so much?" She walked out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Iruka alone with his thoughts.

 

_She's right. Why do I care so much what he thinks of me? I mean, sure, he's Naruto's jounin-sensei, but other than that I don't have more to do with him than any other other shinobi. He's just one jounin._

_He's not just one jounin. He's Kakashi._

Iruka had to admit it to himself. He liked Kakashi. He might be frustrating, and eccentric, but he was also hard working when it really mattered, brilliant and fascinating. Iruka's frustration with the jounin had stemmed from his belief that the other man didn't like him.

He allowed his memories from the past three days to come to the fore. Iruka, not having preconceived notions of the jounin, had acted differently. They had been comfortable in each other's presence, they'd been friends.

Kakashi had been reluctant to spend time with him at first – presumably because he'd anticipated the very reaction Iruka had given, but once they had spent time together, he'd been... funny, playful, considerate and strangely gentle. He'd let Iruka see his face. He'd been relaxed enough to sit around Iruka's kitchen with only his pyjamas on, lost in thought. He'd been comfortable sleeping in the same bed, even knowing that Iruka was probably going to snuggle up to him while they slept.

"Oh my god..." Iruka's face paled, "I snuggled up to Hatake Kakashi. THE Hatake Kakashi! And he didn't kill me!"

He felt his face heat. __He kept me there__ _…_ _ _and I didn't mind.__

_And when we were stalking Guy... when he pulled me behind that tree, he had to hold me close so we'd both be out of sight... and I didn't try to pull away even a little. I just let him hold me like I was some lovestruck teenager._

_Iruka's eyes widened. When I saw his face, and when he was lost in thought… I was fascinated looking at him._

Iruka felt a bit panicked and needed to get out of this room. The hospital might be quiet - but it was too quiet. He needed something to distract himself from where his own thoughts were heading. He left the hospital and wandered aimlessly around the streets of Konoha, trying to bury his memories of his recent interactions with Kakashi. That simply allowed older memories to surface, forcing him to reassess them in the light of his new found clarity.

When Kakashi had been newly assigned as Naruto's jounin-sensei, and they'd returned from their escort mission to Wave country, Iruka had asked how Naruto was doing – and had blushed. There was nothing wrong about asking about a student, but he'd blushed. And Kakashi had smiled at him. He could see the smile through the mask. He'd liked it.

He winced and spotting a small shop went in to sit quietly in a corner with some tea. Tea was calming. He tried to clear his mind, and just be in the moment, but his thoughts jumped straight back to Kakashi.

Iruka had felt warmth suffuse his body when Kakashi had put his hand on Iruka's shoulder and said "It seems neither of us will be resting for awhile, Sensei." Summoning Pakkun into Iruka's palm he had vanished abruptly and Iruka's confusion afterwards was less about the ninken in his palm, than the warmth in his body.

He shook his head, trying to clear it.

The queer feeling in his stomach whenever Naruto spoke about Kakashi when they got back from missions - that wasn't because Kakashi made him uncomfortable, it was because he liked hearing about the man.

He stared into his tea.

When he'd heard that Kakashi had been knocked out by Itachi, he'd felt sick - far sicker than after hearing about any other shinobi being injured.

The more he remembered his thoughts and feelings of Kakashi over the past few years, the more apparent it became to him. Even when Naruto had been away training with Jiraiya… he hadn't any need to pay any special attention to the jounin, but he had. He knew when Kakashi was away on missions, and he worried. When he sensed Kakashi's return he felt both relief and nervousness, knowing Kakashi would come see him to submit his report. If he knew Kakashi was going to be somewhere he found a reason to go nearby.

_There's no point trying to deny it any longer. Iruka closed his eyes. I've had feelings for Kakashi all this time. That's why he's always gotten under my skin so much. I snap at a lot of people when they aggravate me - falling asleep in class, covering the Hokage monument in graffiti… but I usually get over it much faster. I've been dwelling on what Kakashi is thinking, what he thinks of me._

Iruka groaned and pressed the heel of his hand into his eye. He remembered the twitches of Kakashi's eyebrow when in his amnesic state Iruka had apologised and smiled after snapping at him. _He's used to the waspishness. He wasn't used to the apologies. What does he think of me now? When I forgot who I was, who he was, I completely changed the way I interacted with him. He has to know I'm in love with him…_

Iruka stared blankly, frozen to the spot.

_Oh god, I_ am _in love with him. I've fallen in love with the Copy-ninja._

He pressed his palm to his forehead and closed his eyes _ _.__

_You idiot, Iruka._

He jumped up from the table and ran out of the shop past startled staff and patrons alike. He wanted to go home. He wanted the security of his own environment. He wanted to curl up in his bed, and fall unconscious. He jumped across the rooftops, taking the shortest path he could.

Arriving at his apartment, he went inside. At first he felt relieved to be home, but then the apartment seemed too big and empty. His thoughts still jumbling around in his head, he moved to the kitchen. More tea. Tea can fix anything… but then he remembered Kakashi with his purported zen kitchen skills.

__"._..one day I'm convinced it will help me rise to power, and people will tremble before my ability to find tea cups and cake tins." _

Iruka buried his face in his hands. There was nowhere to escape from himself.


	9. Don't Go

Night had fallen. Iruka was seated at his low table, with an inevitable cup of tea, and his stack of tests. He had hoped that he could bury himself in work and distract himself from thoughts of the situation he found himself in. His hope had proven fruitless. He had never taken as long to mark anything in his life. He'd managed to do a few of them, but his thoughts kept wandering and then he'd just stare in to space, feeling somewhat miserable and a whole lot of confused. His life had just become a lot more complicated, and he had no idea what he was going to do about it.

What was he going to do? How on earth was he supposed to behave around Kakashi now? He was so worried about it. He couldn't go back to the way he was before, these three days had changed the way he saw the man, and more importantly had changed the way he saw himself. At the same time he couldn't just keep relating to Kakashi the way he had been for the past three days – the natural ease he'd felt around him had been affected by his returned knowledge and memories.

Then there was his anger. Apart from when he'd had the amnesia, the last two times Kakashi had seen him, Iruka had been unreasonably angry and had said some pretty unpleasant things. Things he didn't even mean. Iruka rubbed his eyes tiredly. If only Kakashi hadn't gotten under his skin so much. His short temper was his least favourite thing about himself, but temper flare ups that quickly dissipated were one thing; seeing red and saying awful things… that was entirely different. He felt terrible.

Obviously he needed to apologise. Profusely. But once he'd apologised, then what? Would Kakashi even listen to him? He'd been stiff and restrained last time he'd seen him. Iruka was frightened that he'd really gone too far in his anger and that the jounin might not want anything to do with him any more. But if he did, if Kakashi did accept his apology, Iruka still had no better idea how he was supposed to behave now. Is there any way their relationship would be anything but awkward from this day forth? However he looked at it, he was screwed. Iruka squirmed. Shit _ _.__

He was suddenly distracted from his train of thought by a familiar sensation. His stomach flipped and he went rigid, staring at his door. Kakashi. He froze like a deer in headlights as his brain simply shut down.

There was a knock. Iruka's heart hammered in his chest. He set down the marker he'd been holding rather pointlessly and stood. Nervously he ran his fingers through his unbound hair, crossed the room and opened the door. Kakashi was standing on his doorstep, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"Hi," Kakashi said quietly.

"Oh, hey," Iruka replied, uncertain what else to say.

"I left my things here," Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh," Iruka replied opening the door wider. "Come in."

Kakashi entered the apartment, and then stood watching as Iruka closed the door. Iruka leaned back on the closed door, looking at the floor. He chewed his lip and glanced up at Kakashi. Kakashi's face had no expression.

"I'm sorry!" Iruka said quickly, squeezing his eyes shut and tilting his head down. He let the words tumble out in a rush. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean what I said in the mission room. I was so run down and tired and I took it out on you. You didn't deserve it, it was uncalled for. And in Tsunade's office, I didn't mean that either. When all the memories came back, the anger I was feeling when I got knocked out came back too. I wish I could take it all back, every word. Please forgive me."

He opened his eyes and looked up anxiously at Kakashi.

To his surprise, Kakashi was smiling behind his mask. "You've got quite the temper, sensei."

Iruka looked chagrined, "I know. I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't… entirely uncalled for." Kakashi admitted, the smile dropping as he looked away. "I know I can be pretty trying sometimes."

"No, really, it wasn't about you at all," Iruka protested. "Three days ago, that was all on me. I was fatigued. And I… seriously over reacted. I said some pretty unnecessary and awful things," he looked into Kakshi's face pleadingly, hoping that Kakashi would see how remorseful he felt, "which I really don't think about you. I don't!"

Kakashi looked into his face for a moment without speaking, and then put his hand on top of Iruka's head and messed his hair up lightly. "Don't worry about it. I still like you." His expression took on a rueful cast. "I was fatigued too. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I kind of made it all blow up in our faces." He rubbed the back of his neck again. "I could work on reading some people a bit better. There are some people I find a bit… confusing." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and then hastily added, "I got it wrong with Sasuke."

"We all did! Please don't pay any attention to what I said. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't fair of me to imply anything of you. You tried to help him, but in the end he was more broken than any of us realised."

Kakashi nodded but his thoughts seemed to be somewhere else. Iruka felt his stomach churn. Kakashi really did feel guilty. He wanted to pull the other man into his arms like Kakashi had to him after his nightmare. He might have, a day ago, but now… now he was far too aware of just who it was he was talking to, and worse than that, how he felt about him.

Kakashi came out of his reverie and shrugged at Iruka. "So," he said, "Tsunade-sama has given you the all-clear. I guess it's time for you to get your life back to normal. You probably love having your privacy again. I should get out from under your feet." He looked away and obviously spotted the papers Iruka was trying to mark. He gestured to them. "Finally going to give the little snotmonsters their tests back, huh?"

"They're more than a little overdue," Iruka replied.

"I guess so," Kakashi replied. He paused, looking a bit uncertain. Then he smiled at Iruka. "I'll just get my things and you can have your peace and quiet to get it done."

Iruka didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. This conversation felt wrong. The rapport they had before wasn't there. He was certain it was his fault, he was acting weird. Old Iruka would never have even had a cause for Kakashi to be in his apartment. Amnesic Iruka would have made some flippant comment that would have had Kakashi grinning and throwing back a cheeky reply. New Iruka simply didn't want Kakashi to go.

Kakashi apparently took his silence as assent and he moved deeper into the apartment to collect the few personal items that he had there. Iruka took a few steps after him, and then stopped near the table and turned away to hide his expression. He wanted to make Kakashi stay. He wanted Kakashi to laugh with him again. It didn't matter if he had to hide the way he really felt about him. The new relationship he had developed with Kakashi while he had his memory loss had made his life brighter. He wanted it to stay that way. He just had to stop the other man from leaving. He felt a bit panicky. What if he left and never came back?

Kakashi walked up to where Iruka was standing in a bit of a daze and paused beside him. "Well, that's all of it I think. You can get your schoolwork done. He smiled and took a step forward. Then he stopped abruptly, and looked back over his shoulder. Iruka's hand had gripped the back of his jacket and was holding him back.

"Don't go," Iruka whispered, looking at the floor.


	10. Driving Me Crazy

"Don't go," Iruka whispered.

Kakashi paused a moment, watching Iruka and then turned back to face the door. With a gentle sigh, he pulled down his mask, then reached behind himself and gently disengaged Iruka's hand. He didn't release the hand as he turned to face Iruka, and Iruka didn't pull it away. Kakashi gently squeezed it.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Kakashi asked quietly.

Iruka flushed and glanced up at him.

Kakashi's face was perfectly expressionless, although there was something in his eyes that Iruka couldn't read. Iruka fidgeted.

"Well?"

Iruka looked away from Kakashi miserably. Now he'd done it. He didn't have any idea what to say. He had just reacted. He still couldn't think of anything to actually tell the other man. He certainly couldn't tell him not to go because he was in love with him. Iruka screwed his eyes closed. There was a long silence, and then Kakashi spoke.

"How about if I go first?"

_First?_

Kakashi put his hand up to Iruka's face, and with gentle pressure turned it to face him. Iruka opened his eyes and looked into Kakashi's.

"I love you," Kakashi said calmly.

Iruka blinked. Then he blinked several more times for good measure.

Kakashi grinned at him. "In retrospect, I think I started to fall in love with you back when you shouted at me over nominating the kids for the chuunin exams."

"What?"

"Of course I was a bit irritated at the time, but you were really fired up, like a mother dog protecting her puppies. You were intriguing… and cute."

Iruka blinked some more. "Cute…"

"Of course," Kakashi continued cheerfully, "I was pretty sure that you hated me after that. And I guess I didn't help matters by giving you terribly-written mission reports on purpose."

"It really WAS on purpose."

"Yeah, I figured it'd drive you crazy."

"It DID drive me crazy!"

Kakashi grinned wider. "I know. But you're just so adorable when you're annoyed."

"You…"

"Of course you're also adorable when you're surprised. When I summoned Pakkun for you… you should have seen your face. It's just as well we were in Tsunade-sama's office... otherwise I might have given you an even bigger surprise."

"What?" Iruka felt his cheeks heat.

"But after that you went back to the glaring and whacking me with my reports," Kakashi looked forlorn, "I had no idea how to change your opinion of me. But then you forgot who I was, and our past interactions, and then there was a lot less glaring. A lot of whacking still," he grinned.

"Uh..."

"And then I woke up with you in my arms all sleepy and rumpled and adorable. I didn't want to move and break the moment, but I also wanted to do very bad things to you. I didn't know what would go through that head of yours when your memories came back so I behaved myself. That took no willpower at all compared to not kissing you when I pulled you into my arms behind that tree though."

"You..."

"But the fact that you were so comfortable around me so fast… it occurred to me that maybe there was something other than annoyance behind the heated looks you'd been giving me all this time."

"I…"

"But I wasn't really sure until just now. My people reading skills apparently let me down badly when it came to you. You had me pretty confused for a while."

"I…"

"Yes?"

Iruka gulped and looked away, the flush burning on his cheeks. "I…" He looked back at Kakashi. Kakashi grinned back at him.

"I love you," Iruka whispered.

One of Kakashi's hands slid around Iruka's back. The other moved around to cradle the back of his head. "I know."

Iruka's entire body felt warm and light as Kakashi's closed the space between them. Softly Kakashi's lips came in contact with Iruka's. Iruka slid his arms around Kakashi's waist, and leaned in to the kiss. After a few moments, Kakashi broke away and Iruka whimpered unhappily, his eyes fluttering open at the loss of contact. Kakashi smiled at him and pulled Iruka's body in against his own, holding him tightly. Iruka closed his eyes and sighed contentedly, returning the embrace.

 

After a moment the firmness of Kakashi's embrace decreased. "Come here," he said, taking Iruka's hand and leading him over near the bookcase where they had spent their previous nights sprawled. He sat down with his back against the wall, and pulled Iruka between his legs in front of him, Iruka's back to his chest and wrapped his arms around him. Iruka relaxed back into his arms bewildered, relieved, and with a pleasant warmth running through his entire body. They simply sat for some time, both processing this turn of events. Gradually Iruka's thoughts started to coalesce.

"Why did you let me see your face that first evening?" He asked softly.

"Because I love you," Kakashi replied, nuzzling against Iruka's neck.

"But you didn't know that I loved you. _ _I__  didn't know that I loved you!"

"After seeing my face? You didn't stand a chance." Iruka could hear the smirk in his voice. Iruka dug his elbow back into Kakashi's stomach. Kakashi chuckled in his ear.

"No, really. You keep it hidden so meticulously."

Kakashi leaned around to look at Iruka's face. Iruka turned his head and Kakashi kissed him softly. "It just… felt right. I wanted you to know me."

"But…"

"And I trust you."

Iruka smiled at him. "Even though I'm pushy and shout at you?"

"I like it when you're pushy. It's sexy."

Iruka ducked his head.

"God you're cute." Kakashi said, squeezing his arms tighter and turning his attention to nibbling on Iruka's ear.

 

"Why you?" Iruka asked after a few more minutes lost in the sensations Kakashi was creating.

"Why me what?"

"Why did Tsunade-sama make you look after me? Especially after we'd cleared out the mission room shouting at each other not that long before."

"I actually asked her that at the hospital, while you were getting ready to come home. She said that memory was a strange thing. You'd lost your memory of yourself and everyone you knew, and yet you automatically bristled at me. Apparently," and Kakashi's chest shook with his chuckle, "she thought that the fact that I evoke strong emotions in you might be helpful in getting your memory back."

Iruka smiled and ran his fingers gently over Kakashi's knee. Then he thought about just whose knee it was.

"Why me?" He asked in a small voice.

"I told you already!" Kakashi protested. "You're adorable. And sexy as hell."

Iruka sat forward and turned to look into Kakashi's face dubiously.

"Oh good god, you really don't get it do you?" Kakashi growled, releasing one of his arms and using the hand to pull Iruka's mouth to his own again. "Iruka," he said, pulling away, much to Iruka's displeasure, "you know that last report, the one that you really lost it over?"

Iruka looked away uncomfortably and nodded.

"You know why it was so bad?

"Because you were trying to drive me crazy?"

"No," Kakashi said. He turned Iruka's body, making him adjust so that he was sitting facing Kakashi. Kakashi took Iruka's chin in his hand and looked deep into his eyes. "Because  _you_ drive _me_  crazy." He looked a bit rueful and looked away. "Admittedly I have been having an awful lot of fun finding new ways to make you want to want to ram my reports down my throat, but this time… My last mission – I'd been away for a while, and I just wanted to see you. I knew you'd only be on duty in the mission room that morning, and handing in missions to you was my main excuse to see you. I didn't have time to stop and write it, so I bribed one of my ninken to let me use him as a mobile writing desk, and wrote it while running."

Iruka's jaw dropped a bit, "I THOUGHT it looked like it had been written while you were running!"

Kakashi looked back at him and grinned. "Yeah, Bull didn't really understand. He thought that if I had a thing for you I should just tell you that I love you and want your puppies. I had to explain that firstly, that wasn't physically possible, and secondly, you'd think I was messing with you, since our relationship to date pretty much consisted of me annoying the hell out of you." Kakashi shrugged ruefully. "He told me that for a genius I'm kind of an idiot, but he let me do it for the promise of an extra bloody steak."

Iruka laughed. "I think I'll like Bull."

"I'm sure you will," Kakashi replied. "He's pretty straightforward. There's something to say for straightforwardness. I have to wonder if it might have been better for me to just come straight up to you at some point and say "Hey Iruka, I know we got off to a bad start, but half the time I have my hand in my pocket around you is so people won't realise the effect you have on me."

Iruka stared at him. Kakashi shrugged a bit bashfully.

"Perhaps you should have," Iruka replied after a swallow, completely enamoured by the unguarded expression on Kakashi's face. "Might have saved us both a lot of time waiting for me to wake up and realise that we'd be both a lot better off if I had __my__ hand in your pocket."

The only warning Iruka got was the sudden dilation of Kakashi's pupil and then he found himself flat on his back on the floor, crushed by the jounin, being kissed senseless.


	11. The Consequences of Squirming

Kakashi's lips and tongue ravaged Iruka's. He was clearly taking no prisoners. The kisses ranged from teasingly light, to bruisingly hard. Iruka's lips were so sensitive from the attentions they were receiving that even the lightest of butterfly wing kisses made him tingle. Whilst returning the kisses, Iruka made many a helpless noise that seemed to spur the other man on.

Iruka wrapped his arms around Kakashi's back, and pulled himself harder against the other man's body. Iruka was hard, and crushed as he was beneath Kakashi, was well aware that Kakashi was too.

"Iruka…" Kakashi said hungrily. He pushed himself up a bit so he could look into Iruka's face. His eyes were filled with lust, and Iruka was convinced his face right then was the single sexiest thing he had ever seen. Kakashi's head lowered once again, and he ran his tongue over Iruka's lips. As Iruka let him in, Kakashi sighed, his breath filling Iruka's mouth.

Kakashi's hands moved up underneath Iruka's shirt, and he trailed his nails down Iruka's ribcage. Iruka sucked in a breath, his head tipping back as he squirmed.

"Oh god, Iruka…" Kakashi groaned. He pulled back a little, head bowed, taking a few breaths. Iruka tangled his hands impatiently into Kakashi's hair and pulled his mouth back down to his own. Kakashi's tongue once again slid inside Iruka's mouth, dancing with his tongue. Then he kissed a trail along Iruka's jawbone to his neck. Iruka twisted his head to give the other man better access, and Kakashi found a spot he clearly liked and began to suck hotly. Iruka's back arched and he ground his pelvis up against Kakashi's with a writhing motion.

"I told you before," Kakashi said tensely, his lips moving against Iruka's neck as he spoke, "squirming tests my resolve. If you keep doing that, there's only one way this is going to end."

Iruka's hands slid down to rest on Kakashi's ass. "It's not like I'm saving myself for marriage," he responded hoarsely. Kakashi raised his head and looked into Iruka's eyes. Iruka smiled slowly as he squeezed his hands, increasing the pressure between their bodies, and very deliberately, squirmed.

The next thing he knew, Kakashi was straddled over him and his shirt had been yanked over his head. His arms were out behind him, still trapped in the shirt as Kakashi slid himself back down along Iruka's body, their cocks rubbing against each other through their pants. Kakashi bent and began to nibble along the column of Iruka's neck. Iruka tried to pull his arms free, but the jounin clamped down hard on his wrists and held him there. Iruka whimpered.

"Whimpering won't save you now," Kakashi growled, and licked at the dip between Iruka's collarbones.

"I'm not whimpering," Iruka gasped.

"Sounded like whimpering," Kakashi responded, kissing back up to gently lick the smooth skin behind the angle of Iruka's jaw. He freed one hand and slid it down Iruka's chest to his nipple and teased it with his fingers.

"Ah, 'kashi," Iruka heard himself moaning.

Kakashi pushed himself up enough to pull Iruka's shirt completely off, freeing his hands. Immediately Iruka used them to pull Kakashi's shirt off. He then slid his hands over the smooth, warm expanse of Kakashi's back, and pulled the other man back down. He ran the pads of his fingers over various scars, and then he dug his nails in and scratched. Kakashi's back arched, pushing his pelvis hard against Iruka. Iruka wrapped one leg around the back of Kakashi's legs and rolled them so that he was now on top of Kakashi.

He looked down at the other man, his hair falling down around his face.

"Damn, you're sexy," Kakashi grinned up at him. Iruka smiled somewhat lopsidedly at him and then returned the attentions he had received, kissing Kakashi's lips, his jaw, his ear, his neck. Kakashi squirmed a little under Iruka's ministrations and Iruka chuckled. He moved down so he could take one of Kakashi's nipples into his mouth, playing with the other one with his fingers. He licked, and teased for what seemed a very short amount of time before Kakashi groaned, then flipped them both over again, and sat back, straddling Iruka. Iruka looked up into Kakashi's face; it was flushed, his lips swollen and his eyes filled with desire. Iruka lay on the floor, taking deep breaths, knowing that he had to look exactly the same.

With a growl, Kakashi stood. He grabbed Iruka by the wrist, pulled him to his feet and then dragged him into the bedroom. Iruka let himself be led without a moment's hesitation and when Kakashi pushed him onto the bed, he wrapped his arms around the other man and pulled him down with him. Kakashi landed on top of him, but took the bulk of his weight onto his forearms on either side of Iruka's head.

"I always thought, when you threw those heated glares at me, that you looked totally fuckable," Kakashi muttered, "but the way you look now… I had no idea what totally fuckable looks like."

Iruka moved his hands to Kakashi's waist and pushed his pants down as far as he could reach. "So do something about it."

"Oh, believe me, I intend to."

"Today," Iruka growled, raising his head to catch Kakashi's lips with his own. Kakashi groaned against his mouth, and then pushed himself up. He divested them both of their pants and then fell back, both of them completely naked. Kakashi smirked."Pushy, aren't we?"

"I thought you liked it when I'm pushy. Now stop talking and put that mouth to better use," Iruka replied hotly. Kakashi grinned and kissed Iruka again, then slowly he kissed across Iruka's chin, down his neck and along his collarbones. He then followed the planes of Iruka's chest and spent some time licking and sucking at Iruka's nipples.

Iruka tangled his hands back into Kakashi's hair and Kakashi looked up into his eyes. He obviously liked what he saw because he smiled, and then slowly, inexorably, he continued his downward journey. He hovered over Iruka's cock, his breath causing teasing tingles.

"Kakashi…" Iruka began pathetically and then Kakashi's mouth was on him. Iruka's eyes closed and his head tipped back as Kakashi licked a long line from base to tip. Iruka thrust upwards helplessly as Kakashi sank his mouth down, completely enclosing him. Iruka heard himself moan at the moist heat and firm pressure that engulfed him. Moving up and down, Kakashi's mouth created incredible sensations, and every time his tongue flicked over the sensitive point at the head, Iruka moaned and writhed.

Kakashi nudged Iruka's legs apart with his knees, and knelt between them, continuing his exquisite torture. Iruka reached over rather awkwardly to his bedside table and pulled a bottle of lube out of the drawer.

"I like a man who's prepared," Kakashi smirked, taking the bottle off Iruka, and tipping some into his hand.

"What did I tell you about the talking?" Iruka retorted.

"Sorry, sensei, don't give me detention," Kakashi replied.

"I'll give you something else if you don't get on with it," Iruka glared at Kakashi.

"Ahhh, there's the hot-eyed glare I've so come to love," Kakashi grinned, and gently caressed Iruka's entrance with a slick finger. Iruka lost his ability to speak again, as Kakashi slid his finger in gently and sank his mouth back over Iruka's cock.

Iruka gripped the bed sheets in his hands as Kakashi continued to lick and suck, and one finger became two, became three.

"Oh god, Kakashi, I don't know how much more I can take,"

"About six inches, I'd say."

Iruka glared at Kakashi and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Kakashi moved over the top of him, and crushed his mouth with his own. Kakashi pushed Iruka's leg up, and pressed his cock against Iruka's ring of muscle. Using one hand he tweaked roughly at Iruka's nipple. Iruka gasped and arched, and then Kakashi pushed and was fully inside him. Kakashi remained still for a moment, letting Iruka adjust to him, and then slowly he began to move. Iruka's head tipped back and his eyes glazed as he watched the unguarded face of his lover. Kakashi's eyes closed in pleasure as he fucked him.

"Oh god, Iruka, you feel so good,"

Iruka failed to reply, Kakashi's cock kept hitting just the right spot and the bursts of pleasure were robbing him of his ability to speak. His hand moved to his cock, and he started to pull at it in time with Kakashi's thrusts, his release imminent.

"You look so hot right now. I could come just watching you."

Iruka didn't reply. He locked his eyes with Kakashi's, while the pressure built inside his body. Suddenly the release washed over him, and involuntarily he closed his eyes and threw his head back, crying out. He heard Kakashi's moans through the fog enveloping his mind as the jounin continued to thrust into him, and then Kakashi cried out his name, and collapsed onto his chest, face planting into the pillow beside Iruka's head.

  


Minutes passed and they just lay there, letting the endorphins sweep through them, their bodies boneless.

"I might… I might make you lunch… every day… after all," Iruka said between breaths.

"I love you… and want your puppies," Kakashi mumbled into the pillow.

Iruka wound his fingers into the silvery hair as the waves of pleasure ebbed and strength returned to his muscles, along with the breath to his lungs.

"That was…  _so_... worth the wait…" Kakashi said, voice still muffled from being face planted in the pillow.

Iruka tightened his arms around him. "I..," he paused; feeling suddenly shy, then swallowed and tried again. "I'm sorry I took so long to realise… I'm an idiot."

"Yes," Kakashi said, pushing himself up back up onto his elbows and looking into Iruka's eyes with a contented, but possessive expression on his face, "But you're  _my_ idiot," he said and captured Iruka's mouth with his own.


	12. Epilogue

If there was one thing that Iruka had learned since that fateful time when he had temporarily lost his memory and permanently gained a lover, it was that he loved Kakashi's kisses. The man kissed like each kiss might be his last, and Iruka had come to the conclusion that for just one of Kakashi's kisses, he'd let him get away with just about anything.

Kakashi had been away on mission again, and Iruka was missing both him, and his kisses, horribly. He knew Kakashi had returned to Konoha today, he'd heard other people coming through the mission room talking about having seen him, but the man hadn't appeared before Iruka. He looked at the clock; his shift was almost over. Perhaps Kakashi was going to hand his report in tomorrow.

Of course that was the very moment he sensed Kakashi arriving. He stared flatly at the doorway as Kakashi sauntered in, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a mission scroll. He approached Iruka, and spread his hands apologetically.

Iruka's eyebrow twitched. "You've been back for hours. Why did you choose now to bring in your report?" he asked in a dangerous tone of voice. Talking in the room continued, although at a notably decreased level.

"Maa," Kakashi replied, "there was this woman who needed some help carrying things, and then I had to help a kitten out of a tree, and then Guy challenged me and he looked so pitifully hopeful I couldn't say no, and then I found out there was a new Icha Icha released while I was away, so I had to pick that up, and then of course I couldn't stop myself from reading some of it, and then the day had just gone and I realised I still had to submit my report."

Iruka sighed and held out his hand. Kakashi beamed at him and put the mission report into it. Iruka opened the report and his eyebrow twitched again. The report contained more artistic impression of events via stick figures than actual words. He banged both hands loudly on the table as he pushed himself to his feet. "Kakashi..." he began, still leaning on his hands with his head bowed and his eyebrow twitching.

The room grew silent as all eyes turned towards them.

Kakashi leaned forward to meet Iruka half way across the table. Iruka looked up and Kakashi pulled his mask down quickly and kissed him. Breaking away after a few moments, he just as quickly replaced the mask, and then leaned forward a little more, so that his mouth was next to Iruka's ear.

"Don't be late," Kakashi whispered, "I made dinner. I missed you."

He handed another scroll to Iruka and vanished.

The watching faces clearly expected Iruka to grow red either with anger or embarrassment. If they were hoping he would, they were disappointed. Normal activity in the room resumed as Iruka chuckled, took his seat, and turned his attention to the jounin's real mission report.

"Welcome home," Iruka said softly.

 

The End.


End file.
